Page 13 of To Catch a Prince

8

The Pretty Man

“I’m soglad you’re here for this,” said Xandrie, and Talia wondered when she’d be pulled out of thisdream.

It was truly unbelievable to see her sister thus appareled, a King watching her like she was, indeed, a Queen. Unbelievable, and yet, not at all, now she saw it with her own eyes. Her new station seemed to suit Xandrie very well, although Talia could still recall her running around with her tattered dresses, hems dirty, as she’d been gone into the wilderness all day. That sister was still there, behind itall.

Xandrie certainly wasn’t dirty now, in her white and gold ceremonial gown, a diadem on her soft, darkhair.

“I was going to send word home soon - I figured you’d still be getting Blessed at thecapital.”

Ah.That.

Of course there would be questions about it. Talia’s jawtightened.

She hadn’t yet spoken of what had occurred in Leyres, because what could she say when her sisters asked how she’d been made into what she was now? That she had made her deal with her Shadow? Her Darkness? That she wasevil?

She wasn’t. Her Shadow wasn’t. But she’d certainly be perceived thatway.

“I was sent back home four weeks ago,” she replied carefully. “And when I found out what happened to you, I set out south with Aleria, to helpyou.”

Xandrie’s eyes widened and a coughing fit started. “Aleria?” she repeated, astonished. She then twisted her neck to look behind them. “Where is shenow?”

“Outside the gate, with our horses. The idea was to get you out of here and flee.” The King raised a brow, as if daring her to try, but Talia shrugged it off. If he’d heard his sister had been last seen getting carried off by a dragon, he might also have stormed the gates. “I’ll go gether.”

“Nonsense, you stay right here; we’ll send someone. I’ve missed you so.” Xandrie embraced Talia a little tighter. “Aleria is our elder sister,” she told her King and the man standing at hisside.

Now that he caught Talia’s attention, she had a hard time turning her head away from him. Not the King; his best man. With dark blond tresses, tied in elaborated knots on the side of his head and let down on the other side, he would have been quite pretty if there hadn’t been a raw, masculine, dangerous edge to his beauty. While the King, with his majestic allure and his powerful stance, was the first to silently demand anyone’s deference, his companion seemed wilder. Darker. Just ashandsome.

“You heard Her Grace,” the man’s suave and low voice said. “Go get hersister.”

Behind him, three men inclined their heads and wordlessly obeyed his command. Talia was so startled and impressed she might just have left them to walk to their doom, but she regained hold of her sense intime.

“No, wait,” she called. “I do really have to go. Aleria will behead whichever one of you she doesn’t manage to bespell if you approach her withoutwarning.”

Xandrie laughed. “And what man doesn’t she bespell?” she turned to her fiancé and warned him, “Aleria, you see, is the beautiful one amongst us. You’d better not change your mind and wed her after seeingher.”

The King replied, “Never,” and Talia swooned on her sister’sbehalf.

“Go, and come back to us promptly, then. This wedding will have to be delayed until I have both my sisters at my side. And tomorrow, Talia, we willtalk.”

Talia squeezed her tight, before turning on her heels and running out thedoors.

She was out, under the glorious early afternoon sunshine, before she noticed steps trailing her; four sets of feet, to be exact. She was going too quickly to stop suddenly, but from the corner of her eye, she could see the Pretty Man with a braid running right next to her. Only, while she was going as quickly as her feet could carry her, he seemed to barely exert any effort. Show off. She turned her head to see three guards behind them. Who was he, that he needed such an escort whenever he steppedout?

“I found my way here, I’ll certainly find my way back,gentlemen.”

“No doubt, but the King will not see his wedding delayed further than necessary. We’ll ensure no guard gets in theway.”

“Come, now. Your hair’s longer than mine, and in better state, too. You can’t think I seriously need yourprotection.”

If she’d doubted it, Pretty Man revealed that he was a dragon, as he growled low, threateningly; a sound so raw and primal the ground beneath her feet shook alittle.

She refused to admit that it made her weak in the knees as much as it amusedher.

“You misunderstand me entirely, witch,” he replied. “I was thinking of protecting theguard.”

So, the man wasn’t stupid then. Shesmiled.

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